Big Data and Cloud Computing: Difference and Relationship

There is no chance that you might have not heard of big data and cloud computing before. However, it is likely that many of us might not be too clear regarding the roles and relationships between big data and cloud computing services. After all, these two go hand in hand and complement each other. 

 

Read on to find out more about these two quintessential terms in today's fast-paced environment. If you are looking to explore the ways in which big data and cloud computing go together and why they are a perfect match, it becomes pertinent to understand the most vital difference between them.  

 

Though you might have seen them being used interchangeably in literature somewhere, they are technically different. 

 

(Must Read: Top 7 cloud computing platforms) 

 

 

Big data vs Cloud Computing

Big data refers to huge sets of data, which are basically output by various programs. You can call any large set of data as big data. 

 

Commonly derived from a large variety of sources such as user input, IoT sensors or sales data, big data can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured. 

 

To put it simply, big data is a large collection of data from a variety of sources. To describe the characteristics of big data efficiently, it is necessary to get a better understanding of the six Vs that offer quintessential descriptions of big data.

 

• V1 - Volume: The  large amount of chunks of data collected from a multitude of sources. 

• V2- Variety: As mentioned earlier, big data can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured.

• V3- Velocity: Big data is usually generated at unbelievable high speeds. 

• V4-  Veracity: How accurate and trustworthy the data source, type and processing of big data is.

• V5- Value: Referring more specifically to business value, it means how much of a value that big data holds for you.

• V6- Variability: Owing to its large scale utility, big data can be used and formatted in a huge variety of ways.

 

As these data sets are tremendously large, it becomes highly improbable to peruse or query them on a normal computer system. 

 

Now coming to cloud computing, it is basically the processing like big data analytics on the cloud. Cloud is nothing but a set of high-quality servers with tremendous power from one of the many providers. Hence, we can call cloud computing as the basic mechanism that performs the major role of sinking this big data in and then carrying out the desired operations on that set of data.  

 

That brings us to the conclusion that big data is the large set of data collected from a multitude of sources while cloud computing refers to the system that is capable of viewing and querying large data sets at unbelievably high speeds and with greater precision as compared to a regular computer system.

 

The major challenge associated with analyzing big data is the tremendous size of the infrastructure required for building a big data facility. This hurdle kept the extremely relevant utility of big data limited to the largest and most highly funded organisations and firms.

 

However, thanks to cloud computing services steering their way inroads into the scene, big data is evolving to be increasingly leveraged by different organisations alike. 

 

 

Cloud Computing and Big Data: Roles and Partnership

 

Using the SaaS products, cloud computing providers offer customers the ability to process large sets of data effortlessly. 

 

Database management systems, cloud-based virtual machines and containers, machine learning capacities and identity management systems can be seen as the usual accompanying components of this package. 

 

The cloud computing provider uses AI along with machine learning in order to standardize the large set of data in case it is in a non-standard format. Once this is done, data is ready to be utilized in a variety of ways. These cloud computing providers enable the user to get real-time processing of big data.

 

Big data analytics now occurs at ultra high speeds, taking no time. This indeed has become possible only due to the power of the cloud. 

 

(Click to find out how AI is revolutionizing cloud computing?)

 

How big data and cloud computing form the perfect combination?

 

Big data is usually so large and complicated to be made use of by regular computers. Without cloud computing, big data would not have any value as data sitting idle is worth nothing. 

 

Cloud computing offers us the chance to make the entire process of analyzing big data less time consuming and super efficient. Now don't think that this is a one-way scenario as cloud computing also holds relevance owing to big data. 

 

If big data would vanish then cloud-based applications would also drastically get reduced in number. Naturally, as they would not hold significance any longer. Therefore it can be said that big data sustains the existence of cloud computing services. (Source)

 

Limitations of big data in the cloud

 

Despite the fact that there are a variety of benefits that cloud computing services provide for harnessing big data, there are some drawbacks worth considering for businesses to get aware of the potential pitfalls. 

 

1. Drastic consequences in case of a power outage 

 

As clouds completely depend on network connectivity from the LAN, outages might result in total cloud inaccessibility, which is bound to hamper the workflow. 

 

2. Long-term storage costs 

 

Effectively managing cloud storage costs around big data needs particular attention on the part of businesses. Everytime data is moved, businesses need to incur additional charges and moreover, the big data sets are going to have no value after a few hours, owing to their time-sensitive characteristics. 

 

Comprehensive data retention strategies need to be employed by businesses so that big data systems can be scaled efficiently as well as cost-effectively. 

 

Data deletion policy can prove to be a major factor for governing big data environments taking into account the intricacies of data storage, data migration and data retention. Big data and cloud computing have a symbiotic relationship with each other as neither would be able to exist without the other. 

 

(Suggested reading: Public vs Private Cloud)

 

 

Ending notes 

 

This blog ends here. Finally, it is crucial to note that big data and cloud computing services have a quintessential role to play in the technical world. 

 

With syncing the applications of big data and cloud computing, businesses that have amazing ideas but lack resources, can also think of acing the business and innovation arena.

 

These systems give people an edge over others by making use of data that would not have any notable value while sitting idle. Software as a Service or SaaS model like AI combined with a machine learning model gives businesses a chance to get futuristic insights on the basis of already collected big data.

 

Just by paying nominal charges for the time and power that they use, small and large businesses alike can benefit from the twin power of big data and cloud computing services to get an edge over their competitors. Big data in the cloud provides immediate and substantial advantages to the business utilizing them.